Today I finished writing the last little bits in the rewrite I’d started years ago after revisiting the novel I’d eagerly self published since it was the first book I’d ever written. Upon glancing through it, I realized it should not have seen the light of day in it’s then-current form.
We all make mistakes, and that mess was mine. Those who knew the story loved it, and some were resistant when I told them I was looking to do a complete overhaul. It had to be done, though, if I wanted this story to be deserving of being told.
One of the biggest changes I made involved a character who technically didn’t exist–at least not in that timeframe. I tested his existence in a few instances and shared them with close friends. The message I received from both was that they adored this character and his existence really brought something extra to the story. It was love at first sight for them.
I’m so excited to finally have the last of it written, and I can’t wait to go through and edit it. Editing is often my favorite part of the writing process, because then I have this completed piece; I no longer have to think of ways to tie one big scene to the next. I’m eager to get it finished so that then I can once again release it into the world–hopefully a thousand times better than before!
Shalaena Medford 